Can coffee beans go bad?

Coffee is a daily ritual for many of us. Some even find it hard to imagine a morning without it. It can energise and put us in an excellent mood. It is particularly popular with coffee beanswhose full flavour and aroma is brought out during the milling process. However, even the best roasted beans do not retain their quality forever. Does this mean that coffee beans can spoil? We explain.

Does kawa grain really breaks down?

At the outset, it is worth emphasising that coffee beans are a plant product. They harbour both natural essential oils and aromatic compounds. These are responsible for the characteristic taste and aroma of the brew. Unfortunately, coffee beans are also susceptible to oxidation processes. Although Bean coffee does not spoil as quickly as fruit and vegetables; over time, its characteristic aroma escapes. And also the flavour precipitates.

Professional smoking rooms such as ours coffee roasting plant in Warsaw, pay attention to the moment the beans are roasted. This is because this moment determines how long the coffee will retain its most valuable properties. Freshly roasted coffee has an intense flavour that gradually fades. Unless, of course, care is taken to store it properly.

It is worth emphasising that coffee beans does not go mouldy or ferment. Unless it is stored in a humid environment. Coffee spoilage then consists of a loss of freshness, aroma and quality. When exposed to oxygen, coffee beans become flat in flavour and sterile. Coffee brewed from such beans can have an unpleasant, bitter aftertaste.

When does coffee taste best? How do you know when it has gone bad?

Best time to consume coffee is from a few days to a maximum of 6-8 weeks after roasting. This is when the aroma is most intense. How do I know when a roaster has roasted my coffee? Professional coffee roasters always indicate the roasting date on the packaging.

It's also not that bean coffee can't be brewed after this time. Of course it can but it will no longer have the fullness of flavour that the roaster was trying to achieve. It is therefore difficult to talk about coffee spoilage in the literal sense. There are, however, several signals that may indicate that the coffee bean has lost its valuable properties and qualities:

• The coffee's taste is flat, bitter and without pronounced notes such as chocolate, fruit or floral.
• The grains do not smell intense - their smell is papery or neutral.
• Coffee after brewing has aromas that are different from usual (e.g. chemical, mouldy).
• The grains do not have a distinctive sheen - instead they are dull and dry.

If your coffee bean has one of the characteristics listed above, even the best coffee machine and the most sophisticated coffee brewing methods will not be able to save it.

What do you do to keep your coffee beans from spoiling?

The key is proper storage. Avoid keeping coffee in an open container, in the fridge or close to heat sources - all of which accelerate the ageing process of the beans. Coffee beans easily absorb odours from the environment. Unfortunately, this can make your morning espresso, for example, smell like... lunch from the fridge.

Try to store your coffee in tightly sealed packaging. Also never expose the beans to moisture, light or high temperatures. Special vacuum containers work well, but also those made of thick glass, ceramic or stainless steel. The most important thing is that they have an impermeable lid and effectively protect them from the outside elements.

Experts from Story Coffee Roasters recommend that do not buy coffee to spare - especially in large quantities. It is better to systematically buy smaller packs, e.g. 250g, which will be used up within a few weeks at most. This is the only way to extract the maximum aroma and depth of flavour from each brewed portion of coffee.

Speciality coffee from a good roaster - why invest?

The freshness of coffee depends not only on how we store it. The source from which our coffee beans come is also important. It is advisable to buy from reputable roasters who guarantee the highest quality beans. The specialists make sure that the coffee reaches customers shortly after roasting. In supermarkets, coffees can sit on the shelves for several months. At the roaster, it is quality and freshness that count.

A great example of a place where passion combines with experience and the utmost care for the product is the artisanal speciality coffee roasting plant. Warsaw has Story Coffee Roasters, for example, but most roasters also sell their coffees online. There, the beans are carefully selected, while the roasting process is adjusted to bring out the best flavour notes.

In summary, if you are buying coffee - buy from a reliable source. Make sure the beans go into the right container after opening. Try not to stock up on large quantities. It is better to buy smaller packs on an ongoing basis. Fresh speciality coffee because it is a great investment not only in a pleasant ritual, but also in an amazing taste experience.